Campaigners celebrate as controversial road works for flood-hit Stony Lane are postponed for the second time

CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating after controversial plans for traffic lights on Stony Lane in Burton were postponed yet again.

The £140,000 proposal from Dorset County Council to put traffic lights either side of the railway bridge, making traffic flow one-way, was due to start on March 24.

But following representations from parish, borough and county councillors as well as a petition led by resident Sue Bussell, the scheme has been deferred to allow highway chiefs to look at flood alleviation methods for the deluged road.

The works have already been postponed once in October last year until the outcome of the Morrisons supermarket scheme and proposed roundabout improvements were known. Since then, Stony Lane has been closed on and off for the past three months, due to flooding, and still remains closed.

Parish council chairman, Judy Jamieson, pictured, said she met with the leader of Dorset County Council, Cllr Spencer Flower, last week and told him the proposals were ‘ludicrous’ without first trying to see whether anything could be done about the floods.

“As I understand it, this is now being looked at because it would seem stupid to spend thousands on doing that when the real issue is the flooding,” she told the Daily Echo.

Cllr David Jones, county council member for Burton and Grange added: “I am very pleased that the county council has agreed to defer the works because obviously there is a huge and self-evident need for flood alleviation measures.

“However, I hope that during this time the county will be persuaded that while there is a need for the flood alleviation methods there is absolutely no need for this waste of tax payers’ money.”

As part of the proposals, the shared footpath under the railway bridge was due to be widened to accommodate disability scooter users, parents with buggies and cyclists.

Comments

kalebmoledirt
7:28am Wed 19 Feb 14

What is the attraction of traffic lights in Dorset ,I bet there is not a greater number of discoordernated lights this side of the north circular.surely their is more pressing problems that the £140,000 could be diverted too.ie cleAr ditches it may help with draining next year's flood water away

What is the attraction of traffic lights in Dorset ,I bet there is not a greater number of discoordernated lights this side of the north circular.surely their is more pressing problems that the £140,000 could be diverted too.ie cleAr ditches it may help with draining next year's flood water awaykalebmoledirt

What is the attraction of traffic lights in Dorset ,I bet there is not a greater number of discoordernated lights this side of the north circular.surely their is more pressing problems that the £140,000 could be diverted too.ie cleAr ditches it may help with draining next year's flood water away

Score: 9

skydriver
7:48am Wed 19 Feb 14

Don't celebrate too soon you know what councils are like, but some sort of witch craft it will suddenly get approved. Call me cynical, but we have seen this action before. I too hope this never gets approval

Don't celebrate too soon you know what councils are like, but some sort of witch craft it will suddenly get approved. Call me cynical, but we have seen this action before. I too hope this never gets approvalskydriver

Don't celebrate too soon you know what councils are like, but some sort of witch craft it will suddenly get approved. Call me cynical, but we have seen this action before. I too hope this never gets approval

Score: 7

Knighthawk
10:28am Wed 19 Feb 14

Why don't they but the traffic lights on the footpath? There would then be no reason to widen the footpath as the scooters & cyclist would then not have to pass each other at the same time. Why is it always the traffic that has to suffer when a bit of thinking would work!

Why don't they but the traffic lights on the footpath? There would then be no reason to widen the footpath as the scooters & cyclist would then not have to pass each other at the same time. Why is it always the traffic that has to suffer when a bit of thinking would work!Knighthawk

Why don't they but the traffic lights on the footpath? There would then be no reason to widen the footpath as the scooters & cyclist would then not have to pass each other at the same time. Why is it always the traffic that has to suffer when a bit of thinking would work!

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